Development and Improvement of Mission Compatibility Analysis Tool (MCAT)

Cardno supported creation of a Project Management and Geographic Information System (GIS) web-based application called Mission Compatibility Analysis Tool (MCAT), which enables efficient evaluation, documentation, and communication of potential developments that may encroach upon the military mission.

Cardno‘s team has worked closely with Navy Region Southwest for nearly a decade to develop and significantly expand and improve the capability of MCAT. MCAT began as a tool to map and document renewable energy projects that potentially affected military missions by impacting air space and RADAR. Encroachment managers recognized the ease in which users could document and evaluate situations in a spatial context and collaboratively appraise circumstances in a standardized fashion. MCAT use was later expanded to encompass many types of encroachment evaluations including Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Obstruction Evaluation/Airport Airspace Analysis (OE/AAA) assessments.

MCAT assists decision-makers in researching and forming an authoritative preliminary assessment of projects that may potentially encroach upon mission objectives. It provides analytical tools and database support to aid in the determination and assessment of potential risks and impacts using transparent, repeatable, proven, and reliable methodologies. The integrated project management and GIS mapping features empower users to quickly visualize trends, identify issues of concern, and maintain an easily accessible library of information to facilitate better decision making. Additionally, MCAT enables cross-functional teams to systematically evaluate potential courses of action, assess risks, impacts, and benefits, and ultimately determine the best course of action for any given encroachment concern.

In 2016, Navy command authorities designated MCAT as the Navy’s enterprise encroachment tool. Subsequent to this designation, Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC) issued a tasker to all CNIC regions mandating training for U.S. Navy Community Planning Liaison Officers (CPLOs), and outlining a target to update all Encroachment Action Plans (EAP) in MCAT by January 2017.

As a result, Cardno’s team delivered nine training sessions to more than 70 CPLOs and Encroachment Managers on how to efficiently utilize the MCAT tool, thereby enabling its inclusion in Standard Operating Procedures.

In anticipation of the future support required by the Navy, Cardno helped our selected subcontractor to develop web-based support site to provide a simple interface to enable end users to log issues, concerns and suggestions, while also tracking metrics such as issue type, frequency, response time, and resolution success.

Since its inception, Cardno has been involved in a number of MCAT improvements. The latest, known as MCAT 2.0 – Modernization and User Interface Enhancements, launched in the Spring of 2018. MCAT 2.0 includes key enhancements and updated capabilities such as: